Photo-phone cinema sources

The collection of photos is one of the sources representing our old capital. Within its activity the museum has collected and preserves more than 12 000 photos which belong to two genres: pavilion (portraits,group photographs) and documental (architectural structures, public buildings, streets, events).

The collection of photos reflects the historical and political life of Yerevan and Armenian, scientific, cultural and sport events, architecture and urban development, events, celebrations (beginning from the end of the 19th century up to the 21st century).

The collection is classified into the following groups:

Medieval monuments (churches, cemeteries)

Public buildings (caravansaries, bath houses, hotels)

Buildings of local self-government

Cultural centers

Streets,parks, yards

Manufactures and educational buildings

Living quarters

Statues and monuments

Family photographs

The photos include unique constructions (which don’t exist today)such as public buildings, churches, living houses which are of big cognitive value and are particularly important for making the chronological portrait of old Yerevan complete.

Due to this documentary materials Yerevan is presented not only with its peculiar architectural style but also as an industrial, historical and cultural and scientific center.

Photography appeared in Yerevan in the first half of the 20th century.

The photos dedicated to Yerevan made by eminent Russian photographer D. Yermakov as well as the photos made by “Leon: photo studio are also involved in the collection. These photos are the oldest ones in the collection. The seals of the photographers are of particular interest as they contain information on the location of the photo studios and the services rendered by them (“increasing of portraits to the desired size”,”photo negatives are preserved”),as well as on the prizes and awards received by them. The medals received by Yerevan photographer Gegham Tariverdyants at the international exhibitions in 1909 in Rotterdam and in 1910 in Rome are depicted on his seal.

There are also photographs representing Abovyan street with its parallel and perpendicular streets and two and three-storey buildings built of black tufa stone, cinema houses, parks, hospitals, universities and schools. There are panoramas of Yerevan in the collection too.

Some documental photos were used in a number of books: Ye. Shahaziz “Old Yerevan”, T, Hakobyan “History of Yerevan”, G. Baghdasaryan “Yerevan”, Ye. Avagyan “ Fathers and men of Erivan” and in many other publications.

The photo negatives are of big value and represent nearly all the spheres of Yerevan history (more than four thousand photos).

Phono materials ( records of speeches of public figures, thematic songs about Yerevan,discs and so on) and film strips ( he film «Yerevan dreamers», documentary films about Yerevan) are kept in this fund too.

Historical Overview

The museum of Yerevan history was founded in 1931. Being attached to the communal division of Yerevan City Council it was called Communal Museum and in 1936 it was renamed Yerevan History Museum.

At first the museum was located in one of the rooms on the second floor of the Yerevan Fire Department. In 1936 it was moved to the Blue Mosque (Gyoy Djami) where it functioned for about 56 years.

In 1994-1997 it was located in the building of former Hripsimeh Female Gymnasium. In 1997-2005-in the building adjacent to the secondary school n 1 after Shahumyan. In 2005 it was established in the newly built building of the Municipality of Yerevan making a unified architectural ensemble.